Inquire through: | Professional | Confidential Support
Module 6 - Language Evaluation and
Aphasia, Alexia & Agraphia Verified and
Updated Questions and Answers (100%
Correct Answers)
aphasia
Answer: dysfunction in expressing and/or comprehending language
alexia
Answer: inability to read
agraphia
Answer: inability to write
Evaluating language is a key component of the neuropsychological exam and consists
of six main components
Answer: -Spontaneous speech
-Comprehension
-Repetition
-Naming
-Reading
-Writing
Evaluating spontaneous speech
Answer: Monitor the rate and ease of speech, length of phrases, prosody (tonal
modulation), and word choice during the course of conversation. Ask
open-ended questions, such as, "Why are you in the hospital?" Evaluate for fluency
and the presence or absence of paraphasias (see below). Speech should be fluent with
normal rate, content, and prosody.
Evaluating comprehension
Answer: An initial judgment of comprehension can usually be made in the course of
obtaining the history and from spontaneous conversation. Beyond that,
comprehension should be tested via tasks of varying degrees of difficulty in both
, Inquire through: | Professional | Confidential Support
verbal and visual (i.e., reading) form. The most basic evaluation involves simple
'yes/no' questions (e.g., "Are you in the hospital?"), while more advanced evaluation
may include responses to more detailed or complex questions (e.g., "If the dog is
chasing the cat, who is in front?") or multi-step commands (e.g., "Point to the ceiling,
then touch your nose, then touch your chin" or "Point to the door, but first point to
the floor"). Reading comprehension typically involves asking the patient to read and
then follow the instructions of a short sentence (e.g., "Close your eyes").
Evaluating repetition
Answer: Repetition is evaluated by asking the patient to repeat a phrase or sentence
- from simple, random digits (e.g., 8-3-5) to more complex phrases (e.g., the
commonly used, "No ifs, and, or buts") or difficult-to-articulate phrases (e.g., "The
orchestra played and the audience applauded"). Avoid asking the patient to repeat
reflexive, ingrained words or phrases (e.g., "1-2-3" or "A-B-C").
Evaluating naming
Answer: Ask the patient to identify objects of various categories (e.g., colors, body
parts, clothing and accessories, room objects); this is referred to as confrontation
naming. One may also ask the patient to generate a list of items in a category (e.g.,
animals, or words that begin with a certain letter); this is referred to as word list
generation. Anomia, the inability to name, is present to some degree with virtually all
aphasias and may be generalized or specific (e.g., color anomia).
Evaluating reading
Answer: Reading tasks involve single words to complex sentences. Reading
comprehension typically involves asking the patient to read and then follow the
instructions of a short sentence (e.g., "Close your eyes"). Note that there may be a
significant educational bias in reading ability (illiteracy is not uncommon).
Evaluating writing
Answer: Ask the patient to write a sentence spontaneously or to command. As with
reading, educational background may significantly influence performance
In general, aphasias are classified into
Answer: fluent and nonfluent aphasias
Fluent aphasias consist of sentence output that is, in general,
Answer: syntactically intact, but semantically compromised, resulting in phrases
that are without meaning. Patients may be unaware of their deficit and not
particularly distressed at their inability to communicate. Paraphasias and
circumlocutions are common:
Module 6 - Language Evaluation and
Aphasia, Alexia & Agraphia Verified and
Updated Questions and Answers (100%
Correct Answers)
aphasia
Answer: dysfunction in expressing and/or comprehending language
alexia
Answer: inability to read
agraphia
Answer: inability to write
Evaluating language is a key component of the neuropsychological exam and consists
of six main components
Answer: -Spontaneous speech
-Comprehension
-Repetition
-Naming
-Reading
-Writing
Evaluating spontaneous speech
Answer: Monitor the rate and ease of speech, length of phrases, prosody (tonal
modulation), and word choice during the course of conversation. Ask
open-ended questions, such as, "Why are you in the hospital?" Evaluate for fluency
and the presence or absence of paraphasias (see below). Speech should be fluent with
normal rate, content, and prosody.
Evaluating comprehension
Answer: An initial judgment of comprehension can usually be made in the course of
obtaining the history and from spontaneous conversation. Beyond that,
comprehension should be tested via tasks of varying degrees of difficulty in both
, Inquire through: | Professional | Confidential Support
verbal and visual (i.e., reading) form. The most basic evaluation involves simple
'yes/no' questions (e.g., "Are you in the hospital?"), while more advanced evaluation
may include responses to more detailed or complex questions (e.g., "If the dog is
chasing the cat, who is in front?") or multi-step commands (e.g., "Point to the ceiling,
then touch your nose, then touch your chin" or "Point to the door, but first point to
the floor"). Reading comprehension typically involves asking the patient to read and
then follow the instructions of a short sentence (e.g., "Close your eyes").
Evaluating repetition
Answer: Repetition is evaluated by asking the patient to repeat a phrase or sentence
- from simple, random digits (e.g., 8-3-5) to more complex phrases (e.g., the
commonly used, "No ifs, and, or buts") or difficult-to-articulate phrases (e.g., "The
orchestra played and the audience applauded"). Avoid asking the patient to repeat
reflexive, ingrained words or phrases (e.g., "1-2-3" or "A-B-C").
Evaluating naming
Answer: Ask the patient to identify objects of various categories (e.g., colors, body
parts, clothing and accessories, room objects); this is referred to as confrontation
naming. One may also ask the patient to generate a list of items in a category (e.g.,
animals, or words that begin with a certain letter); this is referred to as word list
generation. Anomia, the inability to name, is present to some degree with virtually all
aphasias and may be generalized or specific (e.g., color anomia).
Evaluating reading
Answer: Reading tasks involve single words to complex sentences. Reading
comprehension typically involves asking the patient to read and then follow the
instructions of a short sentence (e.g., "Close your eyes"). Note that there may be a
significant educational bias in reading ability (illiteracy is not uncommon).
Evaluating writing
Answer: Ask the patient to write a sentence spontaneously or to command. As with
reading, educational background may significantly influence performance
In general, aphasias are classified into
Answer: fluent and nonfluent aphasias
Fluent aphasias consist of sentence output that is, in general,
Answer: syntactically intact, but semantically compromised, resulting in phrases
that are without meaning. Patients may be unaware of their deficit and not
particularly distressed at their inability to communicate. Paraphasias and
circumlocutions are common:
